Making CBV data more accessible
Since its launch, the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) has grown in importance as a tool to allow the purchasers of beef animals - whether they are calves destined for a dairy-beef system or continental weanlings or stores destined entering a finishing system – to make more informed decisions.
When studied at the time of purchase, it allows prospective buyers to identify the most efficient animals for their system, as key traits such as carcass weight, carcass conformation, feed intake and age at finish can be easily identified.
Although readily available on many mart screens across the country, the lack of CBV availability when purchasing directly off farm has been cited as a stumbling block by some farmers for their limited use of the CBV. However, a recent development by the ICBF (Irish Cattle Breeding Federation) may serve to make this information more accessible to potential purchasers.
ICBF has recently announced that a new CBV Catalogue is now available for eligible animals and is accessible to all HerdPlus members. Farmers who want to sell animals directly off farm, the ICBF says, can generate this catalogue to give potential buyers an insight into the genetic value of the animal destined for beef production.
According to the ICBF, this catalogue shows all the animal’s details, such as tag, sex, sire, etc. Under CBV details, breed type, value and within breed type stars have been included, along with carcass weight, carcass confirmation, feed intake, and age at finish, which are the traits of economic importance to non-breeding (drystock) farmers. This allows the potential buyer to make more informed decisions when purchasing animals.
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